EN 388 Explained for PPE Buyers

EN 388 rates a glove across abrasion, blade cut, tear and puncture. The rating is printed as four digits followed by a letter for the newer cut test.

Reading the marking

• First digit — abrasion resistance (1-4)
• Second — blade cut, coupe test (1-5)
• Third — tear resistance (1-4)
• Fourth — puncture resistance (1-4)
• Letter — ISO 13997 cut result (A-F), the one to trust for sharp edges

Why the letter matters

The coupe test blunts quickly on highly cut-resistant materials, which historically flattered some gloves. The ISO 13997 letter is the honest number when you are buying for handling sharp sheet metal.